Do you consider the United States a world superpower?

Why or why not?

What makes a nation powerful?

"the creation and maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural

and territorial relationship, usually between states and often in

the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination.“

Direct Imperialism: One state takes control of the government of

another state or territory through political or military means

Also known as a colony.

In-direct Imperialism: One state, through economic processes,

links itself to a self-governed nation or territory, exerts unequal

control over trade with that nation or territory, and provides

military protection

Also known as a protectorate.

Foreign Policy: a set of goals, principles, and

practices that guide a nation in its relations with

other countries.

Realists: based on the belief that relations with

other countries should be guided by national self-

interest; practical and benefits the American People

Idealists: belief that values and ideals should

influence how countries relate to one another;

Promote America’s founding ideals to ensure a

better world

1796 Washington’s Farewell Address

“It is our true policy to steer clear of

permanent alliances with any portion of the

foreign world”

Who shape foreign policy?

o President

o Congress – they approve treaties (The Senate)

1. Diplomacy – conducting negotiations with

other nations

Can lead to formal and informal agreements

2. Financial Aid – aid can support friendly

nations or influence their policies

3. Threat – use of armed forces

Neutrality- 1793 France and Great Britain are at

war so the US stays out of it

Idealists – wanted to side with France

o France supported US during Am. Revolution

o Intrigued by French Revolution

Realists – we should stay out of this

o US had tiny army; wasn’t prepared

o If Britain blockaded US ports – economy would suffer

Washington says we should be Neutral

“The great rule of conduct for us in regard to

foreign nations is to have with them as little

political connection as possible”

US did not seek military or political alliances with

foreign powers

Neutrality is the policy of not

taking sides in wars between

other nations

Unilateralism is a policy of not

seeking policy alliances with

foreign powers

Duties of being neutral:

o Cannot give aid to either side in a conflict

o Cannot allow a warring nation to use its harbors or

territories

US could live in peace without fear of attack

US could trade freely with other nations,

including those at war

Endless war in Europe

Britain and France at war

Both sides seized American ships

Britain captured US shipmen claiming they

were British deserters

Angered US because they were staying out

of it

Presidents John Adams and Thomas

Jefferson tried to use diplomacy to avoid

war – not much success

1809 – James Madison asked for

declaration of war against Britain since they

refused to stop attacking ships

Congress voted for war for mix of reasons:

Idealism – “free trade and sailors’ rights”

Realism – hoping to win the war and

expand into Canada

War of 1812 lasted

more than 2 years

No end in sight -

peace talks in Ghent, Belgium

Treaty of Ghent – “a firm and universal

Peace between His Britannic Majesty and

the United States”

Still at the same spot

before the war

*US attempted to stay out of war with Europe.

*Both France and Britain seized US Ships to

prevent goods from reaching each other’s ports.

*The British began kidnapping American sailors

*Americans thought their rights as a neutral

nation were violated

*US declared war on Britain – lasted 2 years

*Neither side won clearly

1.The defense of “free trade and

sailor’s rights”

2.Chance for US to expand its borders

into Canada and perhaps Florida

3.Determination to stand up to Britain

and defend American interests

1817 – James Monroe was president

Several issues to deal with:

Russia was expanding south from current

day Alaska where the US and Great Britain

both had claims

Latin America was freeing itself from Spain

1823 – Monroe Doctrine

Warned Congress “The American continents are closed to future colonization by any European powers”

Considered European colonization in Latin America as “dangerous to our peace and safety”

Monroe Doctrine – non-colonization and

non-interference in the Western

Hemisphere

Venezuela asked US to help settle border

dispute with Britain

Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts said:

said we should help the Venezuelans

Britain agreed to negotiate with Venezuela but after deciding it wasn’t worth it to go to war

US saw this as a victory for Monroe Doctrine

“Never again will a European nation put forth claims to American territory without consulting the government of the United States”

*Non-colonization and non-interference

*Declaration made to let people know the Western

Hemisphere was closed for colonization by Europe

*US would consider interference by Europe in Latin

America as “dangerous to our peace and safety”

*Britain and Venezuela had argued

for years over Venezuela's border with

Brian and Guiana

*Citing Monroe Doctrine the US

demanded that it arbitrate the

dispute

*Britain agreed

*America saw this as a victory for the

US

1.Desire to defend the less-powerful

nation of Venezuela

2.Wish to keep European nations like

Britain from gaining too much power

in Western Hemisphere

3.Wish to protect the US trade in that

region

1803 – Louisiana Purchase

o New Orleans – important port

o Wanted the port at first

o Napoleon needed money so sells the whole

land for $15 million

Senate approves Louisiana Purchase and

makes a statement that the US wants to

expand

Idealists: inspired by the idea of manifest

destiny – US was meant to spread its ideals

and democratic way of life

Realists – expansion made the nation more

secure by removing foreign threats on our

borders; we also now will have growing

room

Wanted growth to come through diplomacy

1819 – diplomacy ceded Florida from Spain

Oregon – 54th Parallel

o Britain claimed this too

Polk 1845 claimed we have claim to this land

“Fifty-four forty or fight” 54’40* latitude line

Britain signed a treaty with the US giving the US this land

1867 – Alaska

Russia offers this land to the US

$7.2 million

Diplomacy gets the US Alaska

Territorial expansion is the

acquisition of land for the

US

1821 – Moses Austin gains permission

from Spain to put colony in Texas

Stephen Austin takes over when his father

dies

Arrives in Texas just as

Mexico declares

independence

from Spain

Mexico allowed Austin in only if Americans learned Spanish, became Mexican citizens and joined Catholic Church

Numbers of Americans in Texas grew

Tensions grew:

o Americans didn’t want to take orders from Mexican officials

o Didn’t like learning Spanish

o Slavery outlawed

Austin traveled to Mexico City in 1833 to talk to

General Santa Anna

Santa Anna threw Austin in jail

Texas revolted – wanted to run their own country

Sam Houston was leader of

Texas now

Texas Revolution

Alamo – crushing defeat for Texans

Fierce battles on both sides

Texans lured Santa Anna deep into Texas and

trapped him against the San Jacinto River

“Remember the Alamo” - war cry and motivation

Santa Anna signed 2 treaties – Independent

Texas; Rio Grande the border

Texas is a solo country

Lone Star state

US wanted Texas as a part of them

Texas allowed slaves

Northerners didn’t want another slave state

1845 finally admitted to union

Mexico upset about Texas going to US

Texas – Mexico border was disputed

Mexican government refused to negotiate

1846 Polk sent troops to occupy Rio Grande

River – Mexico said they were on Mexican land

Polk claimed Mexico invaded American land and

shot it’s people

Congress declared war

Mexican army fought bravely with little success

Mexican war ended when America captured Mexico City in 1847

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – Mexico recognized US annexation of Texas and the Rio Grande as the border

Gave land from Texas to California to the US

Mexican Cession $15 million

Idealists – unjust land grab

Realists – cheered

US increased territory by 1/3 and Mexico lost ½ its territory

US and Mexico disagreed about the

border

*Polk sent troops to Rio Grande –

Mexican Army attacked

*Congress declared war

*American forces defeated Mexico in 1

year

*US increased territory by about 1/3

1.Belief in manifest destiny

2.Desire to secure the American

border and remove foreign

threats

3.Wish to provide the nation

growing room and

demonstrate US strength

US now has new window to the Pacific Ocean

Business leaders eager for the new market –

China and Japan are closer

At the same time Europe is expanding its claims

in Asia and Africa

Imperialism = empire building

Colonies supplied natural resources and were

markets for manufactured goods

1867 – US claims uninhabited Midway Islands –

in Pacific

o Wanted to use these islands as a coaling station for

steamships

Samoan Islands – halfway between Hawaii and

Australia

o US, Great Britain and Germany had access to these

islands

Three countries made Samoa a protectorate

Protectorate – a nation protected and controlled

by a stronger nation

Britain gave up its claim to this land

1899 – divided this nation between Germany

and US

America Samoa's provided US Ships with a great

port and military post

*Imperialism is the policy of

empire building

*colonies acquired by imperialist

powers often supplied resources

for their industries and served as

markets for their manufactured

goods

*1870s the US, Germany

and Britain signed treaties

with Samoa giving them

access to the islands

*Later made Samoa a

protectorate and eventually

divided it between Germany

and the US

1.Desire to acquire territory

overseas

2.Wish to establish a military

post

3.Desire to extend US

economic and diplomatic

influence

End of 1800s – Americans debate on whether or not the

US should expand overseas

Some say this would allow the US to play a stronger role

in World Affairs

Others say it is a moral and pragmatic problem

Practical perspective the US must expand to compete

economically

“survival of the fittest” - Social Darwinism

Henry Cabot Lodge – Senate Committee on Foreign

Relations

Urged country to join the imperialist club

“Small states are of the past and have no future. The

modern movement is all toward the concentration of

people and territory into great nations and large

dominions. The great nations are rapidly absorbing for

their future expansion and their present defense all the

waste places of the earth. It is a movement which

makes for civilization and advancement of the race. As

one of the great nations of the world, the US must not

fall out of the line of march”

- Henry Cabot Lodge “The Business World vs. The

Politicians” - 1895

Cartoon D

Lodge Quote

European countries are expanding

overseas

The US should also try to expand

overseas

Lodge

Imperialism is fundamentally un-American

How could the US spread democratic ideas abroad if we

did not respect the rights of other nations

Anti-imperialist politician and reformer Car Schurz

acknowledged that the nations should defend its

interests but promote peace, not conquest

“In its dealings with other nations (The United States)

should have scrupulous regard, not only for their rights,

but also for their self-respect. With all its… resources

for war, it should be the great peace power of the

world… It should seek to influence mankind, not by

heavy artillery, but by good example and wise counsel.

It should see its highest glory, not in battles won, but in

wars prevented. It should be so invariably just and fair,

so trustworthy… that other nations would instinctively

turn to it as… the greatest preserver of the world’s

peace” – Carl Schurz, speech to the NY Chamber of

Commerce 1896

The United States should spread peace

throughout the world and be a friend to other

nations

Schurz; Cartoon B

Supported from a moral, not economic point of view

Saw the world as living in darkness and it’s the duty of

the US to bring light of freedom and Christianity to those

dark places

Josiah Strong – missionary leader – leader of this group

Our Country – US was a “divine mission” to spread its

“Anglo-Saxon civilization” around the world

Anglo – Saxon – white, English speaking peoples

Anglo-Saxon was superior to all others because it was

founded on the ideas of civil liberty and Christianity

“It seems to me that God, with infinite wisdom and skill, is

training the Anglo-Saxon race for an hour sure to come in

the world’s future… Then this race of unequalled energy…

The representative, let us hope, of the largest liberty, the

purest Christianity, the highest civilization… will spread itself

over the earth.. This powerful race will move down upon

Mexico, down upon Central and South America, out upon

the islands of the sea, over upon Africa and beyond… Is

there room for reasonable doubt that this race… is destined

to dispossess many weaker races, assimilate others, and

mold the remainder, until, in a very true and important

sense, it has Anglo-Saxonized mankind?” – Josiah Strong

Due to their advanced civilization and

Christian beliefs, white, English-speaking

people will eventually control most of the

world

Strong; Cartoon C

Supporters of imperialism were concerned with national

power than the spread of civilization

Naval officer, military historian – Alfred T. Mahan

The Influence of Sea Power upon History

Sea power is key to national greatness

America should pay more attention to become a world

power

Strong navy

Ships, protected harbors, naval repair facility and

coaling stations overseas

“Influence in world affairs requires underlying military

readiness, like the proverbial iron hand under the velvet

glove. To provide this, three things are needful: First,

protection of the (nation’s) chief harbors by fortifications

and coast-defense ships, which gives defensive strength…

Secondly, naval force, the arm of offensive power, which

alone enables a country to extend its influence outward.

Thirdly, it should be an inviolable (unbreakable) resolution of

our national policy, that no foreign state should henceforth

acquire a coaling position (station) within three thousand

miles of San Francisco… For fuel is the life of modern naval

war; it is the food of the ship; without it the modern

monsters of the deep die” – Alfred T. Mahan

The US should strengthen its navy so that

it can defend American interests in the

world.

Mahan; Cartoon A